Machine for combing, compacting, and clipping the wool of wool-skins.



J. H. GOSART & G. LINHARD. MACHINE FOR GOMBING, OOMPAGTING, AND GLIPPING THE WOOL 0P WOOL SKINS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10, 1908.

1,1 00,473. Patented June 16, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

{\WITNESSES INVENTORS A m amw W WW COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO-YWASHINGTON. D. c.

J. H. COSART & G. LINHARD. MACHINE FOR GOMBING, GOMPAGTING, AND GLIPPING THE WOOL OF WOOL SKINS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE l0 1908.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Patented June 16, 1914.

INVENTORS COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c6" WASHINGTON, D c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. GOSART AND GEORGE LINHARD, 0F LYONS, NEW YORK; SAID COSAR ASSIGNOR TO SAID LINHARI).

MACHINE FOR COMBING, COMPACTING, AND CLIPPING THE WOOL 0F WOOL-SKINS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 16, 1914.

Application filed June 10, 1908. Serial No. 437,714.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, JOHN H. CosART, and GEORGE LINHARD, citizens of the United States, residing at Lyons, in the county of Wayne and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Machines for Combing, Compacting, and Clipping the Tool of VVool-Skins; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full and accurate description of the machine embodying these particular improvements, such as will, in connection with the accompanying drawings, enable those skilled in the art to clearly understand its construction and operation.

This invention relates more particularly to machinery adapted to felt and clip wool while on the skin as distinguished from the treatment of free wool and is specially designed to provide a means for performing the above named operations more perfectly and more rapidly than is done by such means as are at present used for this work.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine, certain portions being omitted for the sake of clearness, but shown elsewhere. Fig. 2 is an ele vation of the side opposite to that shown in Fig. 1, in which view also certain portions are omitted. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the machine, in which, again, greater clearness is obtained by omitting various parts. Fig. 4 is a side View of the clip used for fastening the wool-skin in place on the drum, showing also the channel in which the clip slides and, in section, the teeth in the bottom of the channel by means of which the clip is locked in a position to hold the woolskin tightly against the periphery of the drum. Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line AA of Fig. 4 and Fig. 6 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, on the line 13-13 of Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of an improved form of mechanism for carrying the smoothing blade, as described later. Fig. 8 is an end elevation of a desirable form of construction for the drum, whereby the outer shell of the drum may be removed in sections. Figs. 9 and 10 are views respectively of opposite sides of one of the comb-roller disks. Fig. 11 is a sectional view on line CC of Fig. 9. Fig. 12 is a sectional view of a part of a disk through the opening for receiving the spring tooth and showing the latter in position. Fig. 13 shows the positions of one tooth in various stages of entering and leaving the wool.

Fig. 14 shows the position of the disks upon the comb-roller shaft.

Similar characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In the operation of the machine, power is transmitted by belt from pulley 1, on the shaft 27, to the pulley 2 and, through the shaft 3, to the pulleys 5 and 6. Belt 7, on pulley 5, passes to pulley 8, which, through the shaft 9, serves to rotate the drum 10. The belt 7 may be tightened by means of the idle pulleys 1111, which are mounted on the lower ends of the levers 1212, the position of the levers 1212 being controlled by the lever 13.

The belt 14, carried by the pulley 6, drives both the comb-roller shaft 15 and the brushsprocket shaft 16. The belt 14 is tightened by means of the pulleys 1717 which are carried by the lever 18. This lever is fulcrumed at 19 and is controlled by the lever 20. The levers 18 and 20 are mounted on the frame 21 which in turn is rigidly fastened to the comb-andbrush carriage 22, and movable therewith as hereinafter explained.

It will be seen that the disposition of the belt 14 causes the adjacent sides of the pulleys 23 and 24 to move in the same direction and that, pulley 23 being of greater diameter than pulley 24, the comb-roller shaft 15 revolves at a lower rate of speed than the brush-sprocket shaft 16. It is essential, as shown later, that both these characteristics be imparted to the relative movements of the shafts 15 and 16.

The clipper shaft, 25, is driven from a pulley 26 on the main driving shaft 27.

The construction of the comb-and-brush carriage 22, and the method of transmitting the desired movement to the several comb rollers is shown in Fig. 1. The comb-roller shafts 15-15-15, are provided with spur gears 282828, and in order that the comb rollers may revolve in a uniform direction, power is transmitted from one such gear to the next through an intermediate gear 29. The shafts 15 and the gear shafts 30 are carried in journal boxes 31, adj ustably mounted in the comb carriage 22 by means of the set screws 32. The brush-sprocket shaft 16 is carried in the journal boxes 33 and the shaft 34 is carried by the hanger arms 35, thus moving in common with the vertical, bodily movement of the comb-roller shafts l515-15. The relative position of the combroller shafts and the brushsprocket shafts is such that the bristles 38 of the brushes 36 come into wiping contact with the comb teeth 37. As above pointed out, the comb teeth and the brushes, when in contact, move in the same direction, viz.', in the direction toward the ends or points of the teeth; also the brush-sprocket shaft 16 revolves more rapidly than the comb-roller shaft 15, owing to the relative size of the pulleys 23 and 24. The diameter of the brush-carrying sprockets is greater than that of the comb rollers, and thus the relative speed of the I shafts and the relative distances of the comb teeth and the brushes from the centers of their respective driving shafts work toward a common end in giving a more rapid motion to the brushes than to the comb teeth. Therefore the brushes move along the teeth from the base or root to the point, removing any particles of wool that may have caught on the teeth. The construction of the brushes is shown in Fig. 3. The bristles 38 are set in the bars 39 which are fastened at each end to the sprocket chains 4040.

In a machine of the kind herein considered, it is necessary that the mechanisms for performing the operations of clipping and of felting should be adapted to be thrown, independently of each other, into or out of operating contact with the woolskin under treatment. Also, to avoid accident, it is desirable that additional means be provided for withdrawing the drum from the proximity of the felting and clipping mechanisms. These features are secured as follows: The comband-brush carriage 22 is supported by the arms 4141 and 4242 which are pivotally connected respectively to the support bars 4343" and the foot plates 4444. In order that the carriage may be supported as nearly as possible at a point coincident with its center of gravity, means are provided for changing the point of connection between the arms 41 and the support bars 43, as shown in Fig. 1. However, the correct vertical position of the carriage during the operation of felting is secured by means other than, or additional to, the adjustable connection between the arms 41 and the support bars 43. The carriage 22 is arrested in its upward movement by contact with the adjustable set screws 45-45 and the stops 4646, the latter being vertically adjustable by means of the bolts 47 passing through slots in the posts 48. The vertical movement of the comb-andbrush carriage is effected by means of the lever 49, through the connecting arms 50 50, the movement of the lever 49 being transmitted to the opposite side of the machine through the medium of the shaft 51 and the rocker-arm 52, as shown in Fig. 3. The connecting arm 50 and the supporting arms 41 and 42 are pivotally connected at a point common to all and the connecting arm 50 serves to change the angle between the arms 41 and 42, thereby raising or lowering the carriage 22. The proper longitudinal position of the carriage is maintained by means of the guide arms 5 -54, which are connected at one end with the comb-roller shaft 15, and rotate about the j ournal-boxes 5555, which carry the shaft 3; this is shown in Figs. 1 and 3. In order that the comb-shaft pulley and the brush-shaft pulley may have greater steadiness under the pull of the belt 14, the frame 21 is pro vided at top and bottom with guides 53.

The method of raising and lowering the clipping mechanism is shown in Fig. 1, it being merely necessary to state that the shaft forming the fulcrum for the lever 56 extends across the machine and is supplied with two rocker-arms 51 57, one on each side of the machine, connected with arms 5858.

In Fig. 1 the rotating clipping knives 59 and the stationary knife blade 60 are shown in section, as is also the smoothing blade 61. This latter performs an important function in smoothing out wrinkles or inequalities in that portion of the wool-skin being presented to the clipping mechanism, thus insuring a uniform depth of felt on all parts of the wool-skin. In order that this operation of smoothing may be more nicely regulated, a preferred form of frame for carrying the smoothing blade (31 has been devised and is to be considered as a part of the present i uvention. This device is shown in Fig. 7 and consists of a supplementary frame 62 attached to the main clipping-mochanism frame 63. The frame 62 is pivoted at points 6464 and is locked in various positions about this center by means of the lock-nut 65. Fig. 7 also shows more clearly the method of connecting the frame (53 with the main driving shaft 27. The covering 66 over the frame 63 serves as a chute to convey the clippings to the chute extension 67, leading to any desired receptacle. Air suction, secured by any well known means, may be used to draw the clippings through the chute.

When either'the felting mechanism or the clipping mechanism, or both, are in operating contact with the wool-skin, the woolskin itself may be withdrawn from such contact as follows: The drum shaft 9 is supported by the arms 686S, these arms hearing upon and rotating about the jourualboxes 5555. The position of the drum is controlled by the lever 69, the shaft (39,

the rocker-arms 70-70 and the connecting arms 71-71. Fig. 1 shows that a forward and back movement may be imparted to the across the front of the machine.

lever 69, and Fig. 3 shows the relation, or

connection existing between the lever 69, the shaft 69, and the rocker-arms 7070, viz., that the lever, the shaft and the arms move as one piece. As the connecting arms 7171 serve to connect the bed-pieces of the journal-boxes 5555 with the upper ends of the rocker-arms 7070, it is evident that a forward and back movement may be imparted to the drum through the medium of the lever 69. Suitable stops 7272 are provided for limiting the movement of the drum toward and from the feltin (or combing) mechanism. A brake 73 is provided for stopping the drum in case of emergency, as, for instance, the loosening of the woolskin from its fastenings. That the brake may be more readily accessible to the operator, a foot treadle 74 is provided extending The treadle 74E rests upon the levers 7 5-7 5 and with one of the levers 75 the brake 7 3 is connected through the medium of the strap 76. The levers 75 75 are rigidly fastened to the hollow shaft 77 and this shaft is mounted upon the journal-boxes 55-55 by means of any suitable bearings, as shown in section in Fig. 3. This hollow shaft serves two purposes; first, to give a greater degree of rigidity to the brake mechanism when pressure is put upon that part of the treadle 74 farthest from the brake; second, as a covering for the shaft 3, which is necessaryas a protection from the loose particles of wool. The wool-skin is fastened and stretched upon the periphery of the drum by means of the clips 78, which may be positioned to suit the requirements of various wool-skins. The closing pressure of the clip jaw 79 is furnished by the spring 80 and serves to hold the woolskin in close contact with the toothed plate 81. The clips 78 travel in channels 82 in the periphery of the drum. In the bottom of the channels 82 and extending throughout the length of said channels are placed ratchet teeth 83. The engagement between these teeth and the pawl 84: allows movement of the clip 78 in one direction, but prevents the clip from being drawn in the opposite direction by the pulling of the woolskin. The pawl 84 is carried by the spring 85, and is thereby normally forced into engagement with the teeth 83, while at the same time being free to ride from one tooth to the next.

In Figs. a and 6 means are shown for disengaging the pawl 84 from the teeth 83 when it is desired to move the clip in the direction opposite to that normally allowed by the ratchet teeth: To the movable end of the spring 85 are fastened undercut blocks 8686 and the lips 8787 of said blocks are engaged by a corresponding lip 88 on the stud 89, this stud projecting from the under side of the jaw 79. It will be seen that when the jaw is closed the pawl 84 is free to rise and fall in passing from one to another of the teeth 83, but that when the jaw is opened the engagement between lips 8787 and 88 will lift the pawl from the teeth and allow the clip to be moved in either direction.

In order that the surface of the drum immediately beneath the wool-skin may be approximately level, a cover plate 90 is attached to and follows the clip 78, traveling in grooves 9191, provided for the purpose in the sides of the clip channel 82. The clip 78 is held in place in the channel 82 by the flanges 92-92, which travel in corresponding grooves 9393 in the sides of the channel.

Figs. 9, 10, 11, 12 and 14: show the method of constructing and assembling the parts of the comb roller. The disks 94 are provided with sockets 95, located at intervals near the circumference of the disk. These sockets are circular in form with the exception of a slot or groove 96, and serve to hold the spring-comb-teeth 97 in position. The outer edge of the disk 94 is of less thickness than the portion included between its center and the inner edge of the sockets 95, for the purpose of allowing free movement to the ends 37 of the teeth 97. The tongue 98 prevents the tooth from rotating in the socket under the force exerted by the wool and the manner of assembling a series of disks on the shaft 15 effectually prevents lateral dislocation of the tooth. In order that all the teeth of one disk may not come in contact with portions of the wool-skin in the same circumferential line, thus leaving portions of the wool between such lines untreated, the disks are set on the shaft 15 at such an angle as to cause all portions of the wool-skin to be acted upon. The key 99, on the shaft 15, prevents rotation of the disks on the shaft.

In assembling the comb rollers, it is of material advantage that a lesser number of disks be placed on some shafts, 15, than on others, because of the fact that the wool is much heavier on certain portions of the wool-skin than on others, as, for instance, on the watershed. The comb rollers are so placed that the shorter ones operate first upon the wool-skin, so that any line made by the teeth at each end of such rollers may be gone over by the longer rollers.

A very important feature of the present tooth, 97, in various positions as it passes through the W001, 100. The action of this tooth, as distinguished from that of forms of teeth hitherto used, is to pick up the wool, thus producing the peculiar effect known as felting. It has been customary to comb the wool, usually by machinery; the combing, however, leaves the wool more or less flattened down and it has been necessary to pick it up in a separate operation, usually by hand. Thus the present invention materially reduces the cost of the process.

The yielding nature of the spring tooth serves not alo ie to protect the tooth itself from damage when it encounters an obstacle in its passage through the wool, but prevents injury to the wool-skin. It is of still further value in reducing to a minimum the amount of wool torn from the woolskin during the process of felting. The spring tooth 97 is made having such a degree of strength that the normal force brought against it by the wool-skin will cause it to yield as shown in Fig. 18, so that the tooth enters and leaves the wool at approximately the same place. This prevents the flattening of the wool and gives the desired felted effect. As shown at (a), Fig. 18, the tooth 37, as it advances, is forced more or less deeply into the wool before being withdrawn. As the point of the tooth is withdrawn toward the surface of the wool, the resistance to the spring is reduced so that the action of the tooth, just before leaving the wool, resembles somewhat the action of the more common form of straight tooth. By adjusting the vertical position of the comband-brush carriage 22 by means of the set screws a5 and the stops 46, the teeth 87 may be made to enter the wool to any desired depth. Thus the wool is more deeply and thoroughly treated, producing a felt having a quality and durability superior to that possessed by felts obtained by previous and more superficial methods of treatment.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a machine for combing, compacting and clipping the wool of wool-skins, comb teeth, a rotating cylinder mounted in proximity to said comb teeth and adapted to hold wool-skins during the process of combing and movable mountings adapted to carry said cylinder, whereby said cylinder may be advanced toward or withdrawn from said comb teeth.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for 2. In a machine for combing, compacting and clipping the wool of wool-skins, a drum adapted to carry wool-skins, members mounted on said drum and adapted to grip the wool-skins and means whereby the said gripping members may be locked in various positions about the periphery of the said drum.

3. In a machine such as described, comb rollers, coil springs carried by said rollers and having prolongations adapted to act as comb teeth, a rotating cylinder arranged in proximity to said comb rollers and adapted to carry wool-skins, movable mountings for said cylinder and wool-clipping mechanism positioned adjacent the skin-carrying cylinder to clip the wool-skins thereon.

4. In a machine of the class described, a rotating cylinder, movable mountings carrying said cylinder, means for fastening wool-skins upon the periphery of the said cylinder, rollers mounted adjacent the said cylinder, spring or resilient comb teeth carried by the said rollers and adapted to operate upon the said wool-skins, and means whereby the depth of penetration of the said comb teeth into the wool upon the said wool-skins may be adjusted.

5. In a wool-combing machine of the class described, a rotating cylinder adapted to carry wool-skins, rollers and comb teeth carried by a plurality of said rollers, the axes of said rollers being adjustable to positions equi-distant from and parallel with the axis of said cylinder, and endless chains carrying brushes through an arc of a circle concentric with said cylinder, said chains being arranged adjacent the said rollers, whereby the said brushes are caused to act simultaneously upon all of the said combing rollers for the purpose of cleaning the said combing rollers.

6. In a machine of the class described, the combination with the rotating cylinder adapted to receive wool skins, of a series of rollers arranged adjacent to said cylinder and provided with sockets near their periphery, spring coils mounted in said sockets of said rollers and having their outer ends free and extending beyond the rollers to form resilient comb teeth for acting on the wool skins carried by the cylinder.

JOHN H. COSART. GEORGE LINHARD.

"Witnesses F. C. HARM, R. M. LOWRY.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C." a 

